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            <span id="runningHeaderText">TYPES</span>&nbsp;</td>
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            <a id="seeAlsoSectionLink" href="#seeAlsoToggle" onclick="OpenSection(seeAlsoToggle)">See Also</a>
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      <h1 class="heading">
        SQL As Understood By SQLite (sortof)</h1>
      <h4>
        TYPES</h4>
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              <i><font color="#ff3434">sql-statement</font></i> ::=</td>
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              <b><font color="#2c2cf0">TYPES </font></b>[<b><font color="#2c2cf0"></font></b><i><font
                color="#ff3434">datatype name</font></i><b><font color="#2c2cf0"></font></b>][,<b><font color="#2c2cf0"></font></b><i><font
                color="#ff3434">datatype name</font></i><b><font color="#2c2cf0"></font></b>][,<b><font color="#2c2cf0"></font></b><i><font
                color="#ff3434">datatype
                      name</font></i><b><font color="#2c2cf0"></font></b>][,<b><font color="#2c2cf0"></font></b><i><font
                color="#ff3434">...</font></i>] ; <em><span style="color: #ff3434">select-stmt</span></em></td>            
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          <i><font color="#ff3434">select-stmt</font></i> ::=</td>
          <td>
            see <a href="lang_select.html">SELECT</a></td>
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      <p>
        Use the TYPES keyword before a SELECT statement to provide the SQLite ADO.NET provider
        a list of return datatypes to expect from the subsequent SELECT statement.&nbsp;
      </p>
      <p>
        This is a language extension (aka <strong>hack</strong>) to SQLite specifically for the ADO.NET data
        provider.&nbsp; It is a pseudo-statement, meaning only the ADO.NET provider understands
        it.</p>
      <h3>
        Background</h3>
      <p>
        Due to SQLite's typeless nature, there are certain kinds of queries for which the
        ADO.NET provider cannot determine the proper return data type.&nbsp; Scalar and
        aggregate functions pose a particular problem because
        there is no requirement for a given scalar or aggregate function to return any particular
        datatype.&nbsp; As a matter of fact, scalar functions could theoretically return
        a different datatype for every row or column in a query and this is perfectly legal
        from SQLite's point of view.</p>
      <p>
        Since ADO.NET is designed around a typed system and we're shoe-horning SQLite into
        it, this keyword helps the provider out in cases where the return type cannot be easily determined.</p>
      <p>
        This command must be used in conjunction with a SELECT statement.&nbsp; It only
        works when both the TYPES keyword and its value(s) are passed along with a SELECT
        statement as a single semi-colon separated unit.</p>
      <h3>
        Examples</h3>
      <p>
        <strong><span style="color: #2c2cf0">TYPES</span> [bigint], [int], [smallint], [tinyint];<br />
          <span style="color: #2c2cf0">SELECT</span> 1, 2, 3, 4;</strong></p>
      <p>
        The above query would return the columns as types System.Int64, System.Int32, System.Int16
        and System.Byte respectively.</p>
      <p>
        <strong><span style="color: #2c2cf0">TYPES</span> [bigint], [int], , [tinyint];<br />
          <span style="color: #2c2cf0">SELECT</span> 1, 2, 3, 4;</strong></p>
      <p>
        In this sample, only columns 1, 2 and 4 would have explicit typing.&nbsp; Column
        3's datatype would pass though the system and be discovered normally.</p>
      <p>
        <strong><span style="color: #2c2cf0">TYPES</span> real;<br />
          <span style="color: #2c2cf0">SELECT</span> SUM(Cost) FROM [Products];</strong></p>
      <p>
        The above query explicitly tells the provider that the SUM aggregate function returns
        a System.Double.</p>
      <h3>
        Usage Notes</h3>
      <ul>
        <li>You cannot use parameters in the TYPES statement.</li>
        <li>The TYPES statement must be immediately followed by a SELECT statement.</li>
        <li>It is legal to pass multiple TYPES and SELECT statements in a multi-statement
          command.</li>
        <li>You may enclose datatypes in quotes <strong>""</strong> or brackets <strong>[]</strong>
          or those <strong>``</strong> thingies if you want.<br />
        </li>
      </ul>
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